Zittende man met een stok c. 1922 - 1925

Otto Verhagen made this drawing, 'Zittende man met een stok' using pencil. I wonder what he was thinking when he made this drawing, and how it fits into his wider practice. The drawing, rendered with swift, assured lines, depicts a seated man holding a walking stick. The varying pressure of the pencil creates depth, emphasizing the texture of the man's clothes. I can sense the way Verhagen used hatching to create light and shadow, conjuring a sense of three-dimensionality on the page. The drawing is a testament to the artist's ability to capture a fleeting moment with minimal means, which allows us as viewers to think about the many ways of seeing. The artist's hand seems to dance across the page, driven by an unseen force. It reminds me of the drawings made by Giorgio Morandi who dedicated his career to painting simple still-life arrangements. Artists have an ongoing conversation and exchange of ideas across time, inspiring one another’s creativity.